Sex case sentence levied by judge

October 05, 2000

Sex case sentence levied by judge

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A Waynesboro, Pa., man was sentenced Wednesday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to nine to 23 months in Franklin County Prison for promoting prostitution with three teenage girls.

Judge Richard J. Walsh also ordered Gary Arnold Wease, 48, to spend two years on probation, have no contact with the three victims, or any unsupervised contact with a minor. Wease had pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony charge on July 19, according to court records.

Walsh told Wease he would also have to pay $250 to have a sample of his DNA registered with the state and register as a sex offender under Pennsylvania's Megan's Law.

According to court records, the incidents occurred on March 1, 2 and 3 when two girls, ages 14 and 15 went to Wease's home to sort baseball records. The affidavit of probable cause filed by Waynesboro police said Wease gave them brandy.

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Over the next two days he paid the 14-year-old twice to perform a sexual act on him and paid her, the 15-year-old and a 13-year-old to perform a lesbian act, the affidavit said.

"He was solicited and he acquiesced," defense attorney David S. Keller told Walsh. He asked the judge to impose a probationary sentence, or house arrest, saying Wease had no prior criminal record and has a heart condition.

"Six months ago I got involved in a conversation I shouldn't have let happen," Wease said.

Assistant District Attorney Timothy Wilmot said the parents of the children had agreed to the plea bargain because they didn't want their children to have to testify at a trial.

Whether or not the children solicited Wease, Walsh said that was no excuse for him "not backing away."

Walsh said it appeared to him "these children involved in this circumstance were probably sadly lacking in appropriate supervision prior to this incident."